Savory Deceits

by Heart, Skye

  “C’mon, Miss Lady, get to it! The next flight to Virginia leaves in a couple hours!”

  19

  ~NENA~

  Tony opened the door to our home, and helped me inside. Once inside, I surveyed the room, and it was immaculate. Everything was spotless, and in order.

  “The place looks nice.” I said politely.

  “Thanks. I couldn’t have you coming here; ready to tear my head off, for leaving my drawers hanging around.” He said with a smile. I smiled at his attempted humor. “Come lay down. The doctor said you have to take it easy for a few days.” He said, leading me to our bedroom.

  “I know. I just want to take a shower first. I feel icky.” I told him. The incision in my abdomen hurt like hell, but the pain in my heart was greater.

  “Okay. Well, I am going to make some soup, and I will bring it in when it cools. Holler if you need anything.” Tony said, and then left the room. He closed the door behind him, and I stood there for a moment, confused. I could not understand why Tony was being so nice, considering how we left things, the last time we talked. I had never seen him so angry, and now, I could not understand this sudden one-hundred, and eighty-degree turn. I sat on the bed, and took off my shoes. Then, I glanced at the phone, and thought of calling Chris. I wonder why he stopped coming to the hospital. It felt reassuring to have him there. His love for me was comforting, and I missed that. “What happened to you Chris?” I asked aloud.

  Slowly getting up from the bed, I removed the rest of my clothes, and went into the bathroom. While in the shower, as the water cascaded down my back, thoughts of my precious little baby came to mind. I never got the chance to touch him, I never got the chance to feel him, nor hold him. I never got the chance to hear his little cries. Tears stung my eyes, as I thought about the child I never got the chance to know. Then, I slid down to the shower floor, and silently cried. I also cried for the love that I found with Chris, which could never be. I cried for my sister, who now despised me. Everyone I cared about had abandoned me, and I felt so alone. The streaming water, continued to wash away my tears, as new ones formed. My whole world seemed so ominous, and the feeling of depression consumed me. My baby, my sweet little innocent baby was gone; ripped from me so fast, as if I did not deserve him. How could God let this happen? Sitting there on my shower floor, I cried so hard that I found myself gasping for air. Soon, my body began to tremble under the hot water that now turned cold. Still, I sat there, with my knees drawn to my chest, and cried harder than I had ever cried in my life.

  “Why?” I whispered to myself. “Why my baby? God why?” I said again. I hugged myself tighter, and the tears kept flowing.

  ~TONY~

  I walked into our master bedroom, and placed the tray, topped with soup and crackers, on the nightstand. I was surprised to hear the shower still running, because more than an hour had passed, since I left her in the room.

  “Nena?” I called out. When she did not answer, I moved towards the bathroom door. Then, I knocked on it twice, before pushing it open. “You okay?” I asked again, and still no answer. The mirrors, and the shower doors, were foggy from the steam. Then, I went to the shower door, and pulled it open. “Oh my God, Nena!” I was shocked to find her sitting there trembling, under the freezing cold running water. I reached for the hot water knob, and turned it off. Then, I quickly grabbed a towel off the rack, and put it over her, scooping her off the shower floor. “I got you.” I said, securing her shivering body in my arms. Nena trembled, and continued to sob, as I carried her out of the bathroom, and into our bedroom. Slowly, I placed her on the bed, and tugged on the blanket beneath her. Nena seemed paralyzed to my touch, as I dried her off with the towel, and then covered her naked body with the fleece blanket. She then balled herself up, into a fetal position, and stared at nothing. I stood next to the bed, and watched, as the tears fell from her eyes. My heart broke for her. At that point, I joined her in the bed, lying on top of the blanket, and spooned her. She shivered against me again, and then my own eyes stung with tears. Suitably, we both lay there in silence, and mourned the death of the child we never knew.

  ~CHRIS~

  I paced back and forth in my bedroom, growing more agitated by the minute. I hated not knowing what was going on with Nena. That damn Tony, and his enormous ego, banned me from seeing her at the hospital. Nonetheless, I still prayed for Nena, and the baby, to be okay. Then suddenly, I came up with an idea, picked up my phone, and dialed.

  “Jackson Memorial Hospital, how may I direct your call?” A woman’s voice said on the other end.

  “Yes. Hi. I was told that my sister was admitted there a couple weeks ago, and I’ve just flown in to see her, but I’m not sure what room she’s in. Her name is Nena Skye.” I lied.

  “I’m sorry, Sir, I cannot provide you with any information on that name.” She told me.

  “Yeah thanks.” I said, and hung up. No sooner than I replaced the phone on its receiver, it rang. Then, I quickly snatched it back up, hoping it was Nena.

  “Hello?” I answered anxiously.

  “Hey stranger,” another woman’s voice said.

  “Who’s this?” I asked annoyed.

  “Very funny. Look, I need to see you. Can you meet me somewhere?” The woman asked. I then recognized her voice and scowled.

  “Look, this really isn’t a good time. I got other shit on my mind right now.” I told her.

  “Well, put your mind on pause for a moment, and meet me at Café Mocha in ten. This is important.” The woman said, and hung up.

  “Stupid bitch!” I said, shaking my head, and then grabbed my keys.

  A half hour later, I pulled into Café Mocha’s parking lot. Then, I exited my car, and surveyed the outdoor dining area, in search of little miss impatient. When I finally spotted her, she looked up, and waved me over.

  “Well, hello Chris. Still looking good I see.” She said when I sat down. I smirked at her.

  “Thanks. You don’t look too bad yourself.” I said, and then looked around, to make sure no one I recognized was here. When the coast was clear, I turned back to her, and frowned. Alana sat back in her chair, and sipped her iced beverage. She deliberately uncrossed her legs, paused, and then slowly crossed them back again, trying to entice me. Then, I folded my arms, and never took my eyes from her face. I knew her game all too well, and was immune to it.

  “Well, I try.” She said, smiling at me flirtatiously.

  “Okay, so get to the point. What do you want?” I said, with an attitude.

  “Wow, subtle much?” She said, having dropped the seductive act.

  “I don’t beat around the bush. You know that.” I replied, staring her down.

  “Well, maybe you ought to. It might do you some good.” She said, rolling her eyes.

  “Cut the bullshit Alana, and get to the point.” I snapped. Then, she pushed her drink away, and folded her hands.

  “All right, I’m here to collect.” She said, dropping all pleasantries. I then chuckled.

  “Collect? For what? You didn’t do anything.” I said slyly. Alana drew her brows together, and I could see she started to get angry - not her strong suit.

  “Don’t play games with me Chris! I did what you asked. It’s not my fault your friend didn’t take the bait!” She snarled.

  “Yeah, no thanks to you, I’m sure.” I replied, leaning back in my chair.

  “Hey, you underestimated him. That’s your problem, not mine. I had to spend my own damn money on a hotel room that I did not even get to use! Money that I could have very well did something better with!” Alana shouted angrily.

  “Hey, calm the fuck down, and lower your voice!” I warned looking around; making sure that nobody overheard our conversation.

  “I’ll be calm when you run me my money.” She retorted, crossing her arms too. Then, I laughed again.

  “You don’t get it do you? Well, let me break it down for you. I was only going to pay you for the tape - which you oops, do not have - that would show
you fucking a man that you oops, did not fuck! Therefore, I do not owe you shit, because you did not do shit! And besides, Tony confessed to his wife all on his own, so I really didn’t need the motherfucking tape.” I stopped, and watched, as her mood changed from just being mad, to pissed off. “What? You mad now? Don’t get mad at me; get mad at your goddamn self.” I said with a smile. Then, Alana shook her head at me, and I could tell she was trying to contain her rage.

  “So now you think you got this all in the bag, because you think you played me, huh?” She asked, faking a smile.

  “Nah, you played yourself.” I interjected.

  “Yeah, that’s right, I played myself. And now, you win, right? Therefore, Nena is going to come running to you with open arms, and you two are going to live happily ever after, right? Is that how this twisted fairytale of yours supposed to end?” She met my eyes, and was all too satisfied, by my unnerved disposition. She then raised her brow at me, and said, “What? You didn’t think I’d do my own research?” She asked, with a real smile this time.

  “Don’t you dare say her name ever again!” I hissed, through clenched teeth.

  “Oops, did I hit a nerve?” She asked, using my own words to mock me. “While you were too busy playing hero to Nena… that is her name, right? I did some digging of my own. It turns out that you and her sister were quite the item back then, up until recently, that is. Talk about keeping it in the family.” She smiled, perpetually crossing, and uncrossing her legs again.

  “What’s your point?” I said, feeling my own anger rise within. Alana was testing my limits.

  “Well, I wonder how Tony, no better yet, how Nena would feel if she knew your role in this little love triangle, that she thinks she created.” Then, I narrowed my eyes at her, practically seething with rage.

  “Alana, I swear, if you…” I started to say.

  “Don’t you threaten me!” She spewed, cutting me off. “I want my money by Friday! Or else I am going to go to Nena, and tell her all about your little plan, to rescue her from her marriage! And don‘t think I don’t know where she lives, or where she goes to school either. So save your threats, for someone who scares easily, because I don’t!” With that said, she pushed away from the table, and stood up. “I’m looking forward to hearing from you very soon.” She said, before she exited the café.

  Dammit! I never thought this bitch would be a problem for me. I have come too far with Nena; to let a slut like Alana, fuck it up for me now. I knew she would be upset about me not paying her, but I did not expect her to flip the script on me, with blackmail. Hmm, Alana turned out to be a lot smarter, than I gave her credit for. However, I cannot chance calling her bluff. Slightly impressed, I could not help but smile, at her attempted power play. I found that quite hilarious, because Alana had no idea, who she was fucking with. On the other hand, I am going to let her think that she is in charge for now. I had a more pressing matter to deal with, like finding out if Nena, and the baby, were okay. After dropping a twenty-dollar bill on the table, I pushed my chair back, and stood. As I left the table, and started for my car, my cell rang.

  “Yeah,” I answered.

  “Chris? It’s Naima.”

  “Yeah, what's up?” I said, hitting the car-unlock button on my keys.

  “Our plane just flew in, and I’m calling to see if you’ve heard anything about Nena. I tried her cell, but it’s off, and Tony’s not answering his phone either.” She said sounding discouraged.

  “Yeah, I called the hospital, but they wouldn’t tell me anything.” I replied, getting in the car.

  “This is ridiculous. I’m going straight to the hospital to get some answers.” Naima said, impatient.

  “Good luck.” I said, and then ended the call. Briefly, I thought about meeting Naima at the hospital, but decided against it. With everything that happened, it would feel too awkward, with all of us being there together. It is probably best for me to stay away from Tony anyway, because I still held him responsible for what Nena was going through. There is no telling what I would do, if I saw him again. We were no longer friends, and I knew it was for the best. I was in love with Nena, and Tony heard me admit to that. On some level, I knew I could not blame him for feeling the way he did. Hell, I would feel the same way too, if I were him, and would have wanted my head on a platter. Even though I knew that what I did was wrong, those feelings soon became invalid, when Nena ended up in the hospital, behind Tony’s ass. I loved her beyond measure, and though some would say that my feelings do not justify what I did to my best friend, I would still do it all over again. As they say, you only live once.

  20

  ~NENA~

  “Hey, how do you feel?” Tony asked me, when he came into our bedroom. I yawned, feeling drained, from having cried and slept all day.

  “I’m feeling a little better now, thanks.” I replied, sitting up. I did not want him to keep hovering. I felt guilty enough, as it was, with him waiting on me hands and foot. “How was work?” I asked him. Tony took off his jacket, and tossed it on the chair, before sitting at the foot of our bed, to remove his boots.

  “It was okay. We are going under way soon, and the ship will be gone for three weeks.” He replied, standing up, to unbuckle his pants.

  “Oh.” I said. That was all I could say about that assertion. The last time he left proved to be detrimental to our marriage.

  “Yeah. I tried to take leave, but I don’t have any more days in the books, so it was unavoidable.” He explained, sounding disappointed. As I watched him go grab a towel from the linen closet, I noticed he was not making eye contact with me.

  “I understand.” I said. “So, when do you leave?” I asked him, trying to continue our not so small talk. There was an elephant in the room, and neither one of us were willing to address it.

  “Day after tomorrow,” he replied, still looking at everything else in the room, but me. After wrapping the towel around his waist, covering his boxers, Tony sat down in the chair, across from the bed, resting his elbows on his knees. Then, silence filled the room. I knew what he was thinking. This would be the first time, since his deployment, that he would be leaving again. There were so many things he and I needed to talk about, but had not. There were so many words left unsaid. It has been several weeks, since my release from the hospital, and Tony has been sleeping in the guest bedroom. Neither of us seemed ready to talk about the things we really needed to talk about, which was the fate of our marriage, and where we go from here. Though I was still grieving, over the loss of my baby, Tony was kind enough to give me that space. He has been very patient, seemingly loving, and considerate of me since I have been home. Against everything I have done to him, he still cared for me. Now, I just sat there on the bed, staring into space, thinking of all that has transpired, over the last few months. All of which, left me uncertain about many things. I could not stop thinking about the death of my baby, wondering if that was the ultimate punishment, for my sins. My decision not to have a memorial service was a personal one. All of the people, who knew about my pregnancy, were gone from my life. It would have hurt me that much more, to stand at my baby’s burial, and not have Naima there. I missed her so much. I thought about calling her a few times, but did not know what I would say. What could I say? Naima hated me with good reason, because I betrayed her.

  “What are you thinking about?” Tony asked, bringing me back to the present. A fresh set of tears stung my eyes, before I said, “Life,” and all he did was nod. “Speaking of which,” he started to say, but his voice trailed off, when my eyes met his.

  “Yeah, I know.” I said, trying to read his face. As he stared back at me, I finally noticed the tears in his eyes. It was like looking through the windows of his soul, because I could see his pain, and felt awful for what I did to him. I wished I could take it back, but that was impossible. Without thinking, I threw the covers back, and got out of bed. Then, I walked over to where he was sitting, and knelt down in front of him. I gently placed my hand, on the side
of his face, and looked him in the eyes. I wanted him to know that I felt his pain.

  “Tony, I…” I began, when the doorbell rang. We both looked up, and then at each other, wondering whom it could be. Then I stood up, as Tony left the room. I did not feel like having company, so I went over to the window, and looked up at the sky. While I was not very religious, however, I pictured my baby cuddled up safe and sound, in God’s arms. Then, I blinked back new tears, trying to keep it together. My marriage was the only thing I had left in my life, and I had to do everything in my power, not to lose that too. A chill ran through me, and I wrapped my arms around myself, resting my head on the windowpane. I wondered what my life would have been like, if my baby had not died. All of a sudden, someone cleared her throat, startling me out of my reverie. I turned around, and was surprised to see, who was standing there in my bedroom. Frozen in place, I watched, as Naima stared back at me. Neither one of us said a word. We just stood there in silence. I wanted to run to her, and hug her, but I did not. I did not know what to do, other than stand there, feeling every bit of shame for my feeble existence.

  “Nai…” I finally spoke. “I…hi…I didn’t expect to…” I stammered, feeling too overwhelmed, to put a decent sentence together. Then, Naima let out a deep breath, and to my surprise, she walked over to me, and embraced me.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay.” Was all she said, but it was all I needed to hear, and my tears flowed freely now.

  “Oh Nai, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Please forgive me. Please. I need you.” I begged, needing to hold on to her, a little bit longer. Having her here made me feel complete.

  “It’s okay sis. Don’t worry about it. I thank God you’re all right. I was so worried,” she said. Then, she gently pushed out of the embrace. “Let me look at you. Girl you had me so…” her words trailed off when she noticed my unusually flat belly. “Nena, the baby?” She questioned. I shook my head crying. “He didn’t make it.” I said. Then, I could not hold it together any longer. My emotions were spinning out of control.